Over the years, hamsters have become increasingly popular as a household pet. Hamsters are often the pet of choice amongst pet owners due to their size, cleanliness and the fact that they are just downright cute! Hamsters make terrific first pets due to the fact that they are easily cared for by pet owners of any age.
When caring for your pet hamster, one should consider appropriate housing, nutrition, exercise and entertainment. All of these will play an important role in the development and health of your pet hamster.
Housing – Hamsters prefer temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit but can adapt to varying humidity and climate. Respiratory problems in hamsters are usually caused by drastic changes in air temperature. With this in mind, hamster cages should be kept away from windows, doors or air vents. Hamsters should be housed in areas that are dimly lit and quiet. It is also suggested that hamsters housed in aquariums are kept away from direct sunlight as this may cause a greenhouse effect. When picking an enclosure to accommodate a hamster it is recommended to thoroughly investigate it to make sure it is escape proof.
Nutrition – Hamsters in the wild often forage for food, meaning they will gather food and store it for consumption later. Hamsters will consume roughly a tablespoon of food per day. It is wise to supplement their meal with a variety of fruits and vegetables. However, keep the fruits and vegetable to a minimum, as overfeeding can cause diarrhea. With copious amounts of grains and seeds, a hamster will distinctively know what it needs to survive and therefore it will eat accordingly. If in doubt of what to feed your hamster contact your local pet store and they will help out.
Exercise – In order for a pet hamster to stay as healthy as possible it needs a sufficient amount of exercise. There are several ways to keep your hamster properly exercised such as the following:
- Running Balls – These are perfect for exercise and also your entertainment. Smooth surfaces such as kitchen floors or hardwood floors make substantial areas to let your hamster roll around on.
- Playing in an area that has been blocked off is also excellent exercise for your hamster. Always make sure that the entire play space is blocked off. If there is a place to escape, your hamster will find it!
- Hamster Wheel – These are perfect for exercising your hamster. After feeding a pet hamster treats, it is wise to let them run on the wheel for a while. Hamster wheels are one of the most common accessories for cages.
Entertainment – Hamster cages should contain a wide variety of toys for your pet hamster to play with. Often hamster owners will have tubes that allow their pet to crawl through and discover new places. Hamster chew toys are another popular toy that should be provide. Not only will a hamster chew help will entertainment, it will also keep your hamster’s teeth sharp and healthy.
5 Responses to “Caring for your Pet Hamster”
hi. i have my hamster Sora play with small toys that i found in my room, but i’m not sure if it’s a good idea. some of the toys include a die, a ball from a cat food product, and some small leftover tubes from a Crittertrail expansion set. i wonder what toys wouldn’t be good, and, if possible, would a peice of the Thomas and Friends Railway Masters (the wooden railway) track would work.
Hi , I have 3 month syrian hamster.Earlier after dusk my hamster would feverishly go round the wheel as sort of entertainment, but past few days he has started biting on to the opening of the cage to be let out. whenever we come near he anticipates us to open the cage to let him out and climbs on to bars and constantly jumps until we switch of the lights and go to bed. if i stick my hand in the cage he even climbs on to my hand and expects me to carry him out. i bought him a bigger cage and lot more toys but he behaves the same way. it breaks my heart to ignore him and am worried that he might get hurt while climbing and biting on to the bars. after i switch off the lights he goes on to wheel. what should i do.
I think that you should try interacting with your hamster more, that should help!!
i also think that it’s a natural thing that hamsters do. biting on objects may look bad, but it’s actually helping with their ever-growing teeth. since it keeps growing, hamsters must chew on stuff to help keep their teeth in good shape. it’s a good idea to get toys made with non-pesticide wood to help with his teeth.
also, he really wants some attention. my hamster Sora does the exact same thing whenever i approach him.
also, as i should of mentioned, my hamster also runs on his wheel every night. this is because they’re mostly nocturnal animals.